Aquilonis

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Aquilonis is the central northern continent of Qirsyllviar, and the eastern half of the landmass known as Arqupeiro.

The Serene Kingdom & Republic of New Albion, also known as the New Albian Crowned Republic, and often acronymed SKRNA (often vocalized as "Skerna") is a half Hereditary Monarchy/half Presidential Republic in the southwest corner of Aquilonis, on the western shores of the Great Meadhan Sea. It borders Talmyrnia and the Orc Empire to the north, and Seljuk to the east. New Albion also shares maritime borders with the Uther Islands to the south.

New Albians are also referred to as "Skernish," from the vocalization of the state's acronym. It started out as a degretory slur, but the people have since taken it with stride and proudly call themselves Skernish and their country "Skerna," believing it differentiates them from their former rulers.

History

New Albion was once a domain of the Britannian Empire, but it was suffered from slow economic growth and heavy poverty brought on by strict regulations, and martial rule, imposed by Britannia. Taking inspiration of the Salrinoan Revolutionary Wars (4432AFZ – 4450) to the far north, the New Albian people finally took a stand against the Britannian injustices and held their own revolution, which soon turned into a fight for freedom now known as the Albian War for Independence (4439AFZ – 4447).

Within months of the war's beginning, the Talmyri Empire, already holding a grudge against Britannia for an unequal treaty that ended their previous war, declared war on Britannia to aid New Albion in its independence movement. After eight years of fighting, Britannia was finally defeated and exhausted to the point it was forced to acknowledge New Albion's independence. This was hastened by Gallia, Germania, Noregr and Sverige, all entering the war on the side of New Albion, mainly to see Britannia humiliated; Britannia's own treaty-bound allies in the war proved ineffective, and ultimately useless.

After the Treaty of Rylord ended the New Albian War for Independence, along with the wars against Britannia in Eurodon, the Serene Kingdom & Republic of New Albion, it's monarchical side now under the rule of House Cadwaladr, became the first country to successfully rise up and win independence from Britannia. Similar revolutions were held in Ingodija for similar reasons a generation later. While still cold-to-hostile with Britannia, it enjoys full diplomatic and commerce relations with Talmyrnia.

Government

New Albion's hybrid government is unique from the fact that its two heads of state are a hereditary monarch and a democratically elected president. These two stand on equal footing at the head of the government, and no law can be passed or action done unless they both agree, and they share authority over the armed forces as well.

Sultanate of Arabia

The Sultanate of Arabia is a powerful monarchical nation in southeast Aquilonis, occupying the northern Great Dhahabi Desert. It borders Persia to the west and south and Nabataea and Hejaz to the east.

One of several successor states of the former Muqadas Caliphate, it is currently under the rule of the Al-Zayani clan of the Jayida Dynasty, which also rules Hejaz and Nabataea through other clans. Arabia is one of the most powerful nations in Great Dhahabi Desert, second only to Persia.

Arabia considers itself the successor state to the ancient Muqadas Caliphate, a claim often disputed with Persia.

Kingdom of Arkka Uralia

Empire of Avalar

The Empire of Avalar is a large monarchical state in central Aquilonis, bordering Dox, Bataria, Zelhar and Velda to the north, Avatron to the extreme east, Czi'kolgyar to the east, Rondar to the extreme southeast, Ongor Diruna to the south, and Bestiauris to the west.

Kingdom of Awal

The Kingdom of Awal is an archipelagic state in the southern Oriental sea in southeastern Aquilonis, occupying the archipelago of the same name. While generally isolated from the rest of the continent, it shares maritime borders solely with Persia, via the Ormuz Islands/Satrapy. The islands of Awal have been coveted by Persia for generations, but Awal has held off all attempts at invasion.

Ruled by the Uyunid Dynasy, a dynasty descended from the last Caliph of Muqadas, and thus related to the Arsacid Dynasty currently ruling Persia, Awal was once the easternmost territory of the Muqadas Caliphate, and is therefore steeped in southeastern Aquilonian traditions and customs, despite being so far away form the mainland.

Republic of Bartaria

The Republic of Bataria is a landlocked republican state in central Aquilonis. Formerly part of the Salrinoa Federation, it borders Toralos to the north, Dox to the west, Avalar to the south, and Zelhar to the east.

The United Kingdom of Bestiauris, formally known as the United Kingdom of Biskotti, Galliete and Pastilodge, and also known as the Thiriolaos Tripartite, is a confederated triumvirate monarchy consisting of three thirilgae states, the Biskotti Crowned Republic, the High Dominion ofGalliete, and the Principality of Pastilodge in western Aquilonis, in a region traditionally known by the country's common name "Bestiauris."

It borders the High Elven state of Cajar to the north, Koelba, Sharak and Dox to the east, Avalar to the southeast, the dwarven kingdom of Ongor Diruna and the lizardfolk kingdom of Xzandor to the south, Talmyrnia to the west, and Drakyncia to the northwest. It is almost entirely landlocked, except for the tip of the Gulf of Tiere in the northwest.

Being a union of three countries, it has no one single sovereign; instead the sovereigns of the three kingdoms share equal authority of the realm entire. Once three separate countries that were the closest of friends and allies with one another, yet with very different political views, a war with Talmyrnia threatened to pull them apart. Yet an agreement, and a common enemy, made them see the strength of unity. The war ended with the Talmyri Invasion repelled and the three nations becoming one.

Cajar Federation

The Cajar Federation is a High Elven federated presidential republic on northwestern Aquilonis. It borders Cyrillia, its similarly high elven neighbor, and Rossiya to the north, Obin and Koelba tot he east, and the Thiriolaos United Kingdom of Bestiauris to the south. Across the Gulf of Tiere to the south, it shares maritime borders with Drakyncia to the southwest.

Cajar was once territory of Rossiya before breaking away as part of Cyrillia during the Cyrillic War. Later, Cajar broke away itself as a result of civil war.

Kingdom of Canaan

The Kingdom of Canaan is a monarchical island nation in southern Aquilonis, occupying the island of the same name and several smaller ones. It shares maritime borders Kemet, its suzerain, to the west, Seljuk to the north. It was originally the capital territory of the Elohim Empire before said empire fell apart when its last ruler died without an heir; it is considered the successor state of Elohim.

Republic of Chax

The Republic of Chaxis a landlocked republican state in north-central Aquilonis. Formerly part of the Salrinoa Federation, it borders Lirgal to the east, Stygar to the north, Umdar and Korok to the west, Salrinoa to the extreme southwest, and Qatu to the south.

Republic of Cyrillia

The Republic of Cyrillia is a landlocked High Elven Republican state in northwestern Aquilonis. It borders Rossiya to the north, and the similarly High Elven Cajar Federation to the south. Cyrillia was once sovereign territory of Rossiya before seceding as a result of the Cyrillic War.

Confederation of Czi'kolgyar

The Confederation of Czi'kolgyar, also known as the Czi'kolgyese Alliance, is an elective magician's republic in western Aquilonis. Czi'kolgyar borders Avatron to the northeast, Avalar to the north and northwest, Rondar to the west, and Hylar to the southwest and south.

Like Glagolita in Eurodon, and Persia in the south, Czi'kolgyar is a nation of magic, the difference is that Czi'kolgyar is made up of thirty magic nations.

Czi'kolgyar was once known as the Sorcerer's Republic of Rioclyier, founded by the Enneamagi, until a conflict in the wake of their deaths, known to history as the Great War of Magic, resulted in the republic's complete collapse. The states that emerged from the conflict went on to compete for land, power, and advancement in magical knowledge for almost a thousand years, until finally, roughly one thousand years before modern day, a major political breakthrough resulted in the unification of the many states into a single nation.

At first, it was a simple alliance between three states, but over the course of roughly twenty years, the other states joined in the pact, one by one, until they found common ground and a single government was formed. Czi'kolgyar has dominated the region ever since, but not always peacefully, as disputes between states have erupted into multi-sided civil wars more than once. Twice the republic has fallen apart into separate states/alliances, and it was only careful political maneuvering that capt the nation from falling apart permanently.

Republic of Dox

The Republic of Dox is a landlocked republican state in north-central Aquilonis. Formerly part of the Salrinoa Federation, it borders Bestiauris to the south, Avalar to the southeast, Bataria to the east, and Toralos and Sharak to the north.

Knights' Republic of Drakyncia

Capital: ColrinGovernment: Stratocratic Directorial RepublicHeads of State: Council of Drakyncia (chaired by the Consul-General)Heads of Government: Council of DrakynciaLegislature: Council of DrakynciaDemonym: DrakyncianCurrency: Claymore, Rapier, Athame

The Knights' Republic of Drakyncia is a knightly republican nation occupying the Heartstone Peninsula on the south side of the Gulf of Tiere in western Aquilonis, on the eastern shores of the Great Meadhan Sea. It borders Talmyrnia to the south and Bestiauris to the southeast. It also shares a maritime border with High Elven state of Cajar across the gulf to the north.

History

Drakyncia was founded as a kingdom opposing the unification of Bestiauris, but the first ruler proved tyrannical. After several years of oppression, the three most powerful and influential guilds of Knightly Orders, which served as the de facto military of Drakyncia; the Knights of the Brotherhood, the Divine Dragon Alliance and the Drakyncia Liberty Force, rebelled and overthrew the tyrannical king.

Once in power, they abolished the short-lived monarchy and established a republic, with the leaders of each guild at the head, becoming one of the first nations of Aquilonis to reject monarchy. Since then, the guilds have run Drakyncia with fairness and chivalry, while continuing to protect the nation from invaders, and keeping smaller less influential guilds in check.

Government

Though nominally a republic, Drakyncia is a nation run by the army rather than elected officials, so the actual members of the council are chosen based on ability rather than being elected by the population. The only true democratic elections are to determine which guilds shall serve on the non-permanent seats of the council.

Drakyncia hosts many military orders, but fifteen administrate Drakyncia from its ruling council. The three founding guilds of the republic maintain permanent seats while twelve smaller, less influential, guilds serve fixed terms, elected to the non-permanent seats via a nationwide election every five years. Each seat on the council carries an office (referred to as a consulate and he holders consuls) and therefore a certain position and responsibility in the government, and so the guilds tend to run for a specific consulship depending on their focus or philosophy; however, to prevent any one guild from trying to become too influential, a guild can only run for one consulship. The guilds that gets the most votes for a specific non-permanent seat gets it for the next five years. The terms are renewable, and several guilds are so popular that they have won many consecutive elections and served on the non-permanent seats, and the connected consulships, for several terms many times (Rykardiac's Archaic Book of Records puts the record at twelve consecutive terms). Only the three permanent members of the council hold their consulships permanently.

Offices of the Council

Office

Responsibility

Notes

Consulate of the Armies

Oversees the standing army of the republic, aside for the contributing knightly orders.

The council itself is chaired by a Consul-General, and the council requires at least a two thirds vote (at least 10:5) to for any motion to carry into law. Additionally, to prevent any one guild from becoming the "ruler" of the council, the consul-generalship rotates between members monthly (using the Zedylric Calendar).

None of the members of the council guilds, permanent and non-permanent, are restricted to the borders of Drakyncia, and members are free to go wherever, and do whatever, they please, even outside the country (of course that doesn't include crimes; members of orders currently sitting on the council are punished severely for their transgressions); but when duty calls, such as war, all members of the orders sitting on the council are called home to fulfill their obligations to their country. Knightly orders that aren't currently members of the council are exempt from this obligation.

Republic of Eudon

The Republic of Eudon is a landlocked republican state in northern Aquilonis. Formerly part of the Salrinoa Federation, it borders Ortalis to the north, Hovar to the west, Umdar to the south, Stygar to the east, and Flarona to the northeast.

Republic of Flarona

The Republic of Flarona is a landlocked republican state in northern Aquilonis. Formerly part of the Salrinoa Federation, it borders Orox to the north, Soleil to the east, Stygar to the south, Eudon to the southwest, and Ortalis to the west.

Republic of Gargantia

The Republic of Gargantia is an multi-island republican state in the Oriental sea, occupying the archipelago of the same name, roughly two hundred miles east of the coast of Czi'kolgyar. The main islands are Amigrace, the southwestern island; Lodichymbir, the northern island; and Garkuglyr, the eastern island. It shares maritime borders with no nation.

Republic of Garsp

The Republic of Garsp is a landlocked republican state in central Aquilonis. Formerly part of the Salrinoa Federation, it borders Rylar and Korok to the north, Salrinoa to the east, Toralos to the south, and Mylar to the west.

Kingdom of Garvis

The Kingdom of Garvis is a small landlocked enclave country within Soleil's borders ruled by Gargoyles, a race of nocturnal beings that are stone by day and flesh by night. Centered around the city of Garvis and run by the Garvis clan, Garvis was once known as the Gargate Empire, during which the nation spanned from the tip of the Soleilian Peninsula to the heart of northern Aquilonis.

The original Gargate Empire at its max extant, on the eve before it fell.

The Empire ceased to exist when the ruling clan was put under a spell that placed them in an eternal stone sleep within and around Castle Garvis, leaving the empire without leaders. A power struggle between rival Gargoyle clans, normally kept in check by the ruling Garvis clan, soon erupted into a series of civil wars that tore the empire apart in less than a generation. A racial war with other sentient races of Aquilonis also contributed to the nation's destruction.

The city of Garvis. Image not to scale.

Over two thousand years after the empire fell, the Garvis clan sleeping within Castle Garvis was awakened amidst a battle for the castle during the Great Northern Aquilonis War. In gratitude for breaking the spell, the clan then aided in the defeat of Umdar, and the renegade House of Adhemar, on the condition they be granted independence. Since the war's conclusion, Garvis has been working with Soleil to rebuild itself, albeit in a much smaller territory.

The city if Garvis itself sits on the narrowest point of the Caillou River, a major waterway that that separates part of southwestern Soleil from the rest of the peninsula. Because of its position, Garvis has served as a major trading center since before the era of the Gargate Empire.

Sultanate of Hejaz

The Sultanate of Hejaz is a monarchical state in southeastern Aquilonis in the eastern Great Dhahabi Desert. Hejaz borders Arabia to the west, Persia to the south, Mecca to the southeast, and Nabataea to the north. It is ruled by the Saghir clan of the Jayida Dynasty, which also rules Arabia and Natataea through other clans.

The Holy Realm of Hinomoto (被野元) is a theocratic nation occupying the half-tropical/half-arid island of the same name in the southern waters of the Oriental sea. It shares maritime borders solely with Ningyo Shima to the north. The northern half of the island is mostly tropical, while the southern half is mostly arid desert. There was some debate for centuries over whether of not the island is actually part of Fuso, but modern cartographers classify it as part of the whole.

The island has been home to many indigenous clans and tribes since ancient times, and Hayato settlers had been coming to the island for centuries. Hinomoto was originally a powerful chiefdom that was already dominant in the north of the island before the Two Hundred Years' War, but the empire itself began when exiles fleeing war during the early stages of the conflicts came to the island for asylum. The chiefdom was reformed into the empire, and has since extended its rule across the entire island.

A deeply religious nation, Hinomoto was founded on the belief that the island was the birthplace of Zen'nō-sha and the Idainaryū. Despite – or perhaps because of – its religious nature, it has been known for political instability due to religious strife, and has broken into separate states and civil war more than once.

Hinomoto is ruled by the Saikōjūsō (最高住僧) – fem. Saikōmiko (最高巫女) – an holy title that also denotes the leader of the entire Shinjin religion. The title is elective, only voted on upon the death of the previous title holder. Below the is the Jūroku no Gūji Kaigi (十六の宮司会議/Council of 16 Priests), sixteen individuals who represent the sixteen Kyōku (教区) of Hinomoto.

While Yamatai conquered most of Fuso and subjugated Ningyo Shima as a vassal in its quest to unify the great lands, Yamatai didn't dare try to conquer Hinomoto. The rationale for sparing Hinomoto from invasion was that no one wished or dared to upset the gods.

Republic of Hovar

The Republic of Hovar is a landlocked republican state in northern Aquilonis. Formerly part of the Salrinoa Federation, it borders Rossiya to the west, Kirwon to the north, Ortalis to the northeast, Eudon to the east, Umdar and Rylar to the southeast, Obin to the south, and the Cajar Federation to the extreme southwest.

The Domain of the Huzkhaz Tribes is a landlocked Wood Elven society in central-south Aquilonis, taking up the central portion of the Great Urwaldi Forest. It borders its fellow Wood Elf state, Korokiri, to the north, the High Elven Empire of Hylar to the east, and the lizardfolk kingdom of Xzandor to the south and west.

Huzkhaz is divided into seven chiefdoms headed by a Suyrik, whom represent their domain on the Tribal Council when it meets once a month. Annually, one of the seven Suyriks is elected Hoka-Suyrik to oversee the day-to-day running of their nation.

Huzkhaz was once a suzerainty of Hylar along with Korokiri. Alongside Korokiri, Huzkhaz managed to reverse this fate by successfully repelling Hylar when they invaded due to their Declaration of Independence. After the was, Huzkhaz became a willing suzerainty of more powerful Korokiri.

The Empire of Hylar is an independent High Elven empire occupying a large area in southern Aquilonis, one of two in Aquilonis; the other being Cajar. It borders Wood elf states of Korokiri and Huzkhaz, along with the lizardfolk kingdom of Xzandor to the west, the Orc Empire to the southwest, Seljuk to the south, Persia and Arabia to the southeast, Czi'kolgyar to the northeast, and the dwarven kingdom of Ongor Diruna to the north.

Currently ruled by the Aglareb Dynasty, Hylar is one of the dominate powers in southern Aquilonis. Famous for having masterful politicians, Hylar managed to become the dominant power in southern Aquilonis through a combination of diplomacy and conquest over a period of two thousand years.

The most iconic features of Hylar are the seven Great Lakes. Lake Ri (on the shores of which the capital sits), Lake Annun, Lake Gil, Lake Celebren, Lake Ir, Lake Glingaer, and Lake Iaur. These glacier-carved lakes, allegedly formed during the last Ice Age, are filled by a series of rivers, along with seasonal rains, originating from the eastern glaciers of the Ildsno Mountains to the north, forming the Col Basin, the largest drainage basin in Aquilonis.

Hylar once held the Wood Elf states, Huzkhaz and Korokiri, as suzerainties, but lost them when their invasion to reclaim and fully annex them following their declarations of independence failed. It also once held sovereignty of the Kingdom of New Hylar in Ingodija before the New Hylarene Revolution resulted in the kingdom's independence.

The Empire of Kemet is a monarchical nation occupying the vast majority of the Island of Nubia, which is home to the Black Desert, in southern Aquilonis. On land, it borders Persia's Nubian territories, the Mamluk Satrapy, to the. Across the Nubian Channel to the north, it shares maritime borders with its suzerainty, Canaan, to the northwest, and Persia across the channel to the north, to the whom it is constantly at odds with.

Currently ruled by the 33rd Dynasty, sometimes known as the Memphis Dynasty, it is one of the oldest empires of Aquilonis, but there have been several instances where Kemet's sovereignty has been threatened due to being such a heavily contested region.

Kemet was originally many independent tribes and small kingdoms fighting for land and power. It wasn't until the Wars of Misaphris the Great, roughly around the same time as the Fall of Zedylria, that the entire island was united under one ruler for the first time, with Misaphris the Great as the first Pharaoh.

At its height, before the Rise of the Muqadas Caliphate, Kemet ruled not only the entire island of Nubia, but much of southeastern Aquilonis. Many of the structures and temples built during that era still dot the landscapes of the Great Dhahabi Desert. However, when the Muqadas Caliphate came to be, constant war eventually forced Kemet back to the island from whence it came. Even when the Muqadas Caliphate broke up, Kemet was unable to take advantage of the instability to reassert dominance over its former mainland territories.

The route of the Iteru River, starting from the right.

Aside for the many pyramids that dot the landscapes, the most iconic feature of Kemet and the Island of Nubia is the Iteru River. Aside from scattered oases, the Iteru River is the lifeline that makes civilization on the Island of Nubia possible, as most settlements lie on the banks. The main source of the river is Lake Aljalid, a large mountain lake that rests halfway up the slopes of the mountain of the same name in eastern Nubia. Mount Aljalid is also the tallest peak on the island. Politically, the lake lies in the Persian Satrapy of Mamluk.

The water flows out of the lake via a waterfall and flows westward before turning north, and then turning south until it flows into the Gulf of Nephthys via the Iteru River Delta. During spring and summer, the snows of the mountain melt more gradually, flooding the lake and in turn causing the river to flood as well as strengthening the currents. During autumn and winter, the snows melt less so, and so the river is lower and more calm.

Republic of Kirwon

The Republic of Kirwon is a landlocked republican state in northern Aquilonis. Formerly part of the Salrinoa Federation, it borders Novarus to the north, Orox to the northeast, Ortalis to the east, Hovar to the south, and Rossiya to the west.

Republic of Koelba

The Republic of Koelba is a landlocked republican state in central Aquilonis. Formerly part of the Salrinoa Federation, it borders Cajar to the northwest, Obin to the north, Mylar to the east, Sharak to the south, and Bestiauris to the west.

The Kingdom of the Korokiri Tribe is a landlocked Wood Elven society in central Aquilonis, occupying up the northern portion of the Great Urwaldi Forest. It borders the lizardfolk kingdom of Xzandor, to the west, the dwarven kingdom of Ongor Diruna to the north, the High Elven Empire of Hylar, to the east, and Huzkhaz to the south.

Once a suzerainty of Hylar along with Huzkhaz, Korokiri, alongside Huzhkaz managed to reverse this fate by successfully repelling Hylar when they invaded due to their Declaration of Independence. After the war, as the more powerful state, Korokiri took Huzkhaz as a willing suzerainty.

Republic of Korok

Republic of Lirgal

The Republic of Lirgal is a republican state in western Aquilonis. Formerly part of the Salrinoa Federation, and one of the first to secede when the Saroana Revolutionary Wars began, it borders Soleil to the north, Chax to the west, Qatu to to the southwest, and Veda to the south.

Republic of Lune

The Republic of Lune is a presidential island republic at the mouth of the Bay of Pokitaru, occupying the island of the same name and a few smaller others. It shares maritime borders with Soleil to the north and Morgania to the south.

The island was originally ruled by several native clans before Soleil invaded and conquered it, but during the Salrinoan Revolutionary Wars, Lune took inspiration and vied for independence through more peaceful means, and became independent as a republic. Lune has since enjoyed full diplomatic and trade relations with Soleil.

Sultanate of Maghreb

The Sultanate of Maghreb is a monarchical island nation occupying the island of the same name in southern Aquilonis. It shares maritime borders solely with Seljuk to the north.

Once the westernmost colony of the Muqadas Caliphate, Maghreb became independent the instant it learned of the fall of Muqadas. It as so far staved off invasion, diplomatically and militarily, from any would-be conquerors, including Seljuk and ever-opportunistic Britannia.

Federal Kingdom of Markaydia

The Federal Kingdom of Markaydia is an island nation in the Algelu Sea of northern Aquilonis, occupying the archipelago of the same name a couple hundred miles north of Soleil, sharing maritime borders with no nation.

Markaydia was the first country to declare its independence from the former Salrinoa Federation, and it managed to stay neutral of the consequential conflict, the Salrinoan Revolutionary Wars; but, it supplied weapons, supplies, and advisers to the six northern nations emerging from the federation. The Federal Kingdom of Markaydia is the only former Salrinoan state to adopt a monarchical form of government instead of a republic like the rest of the former federation, although it still maintains some measure of republican governance.

The Kingdom of Mizuho is a multi-island monarchical nation in the Oriental sea, occupying the Eda Archipelago, a branch archipelago of Fuso, just off the west of Yumiya Island, land controlled by the Yamato Empire. It shares maritime borders solely with Yamatai to the east. Throughout history there has been some debate over whether or not the archipelago is part of Fuso, but modern cartographers indeed classify it as such.

Mizuho is the only remaining state from the Fourteen Kingdoms Period. The northern island of Mizuho was once territory of the Kingdom of Heiya, another state of the Fourteen Kingdoms Period, before seceding into an independent nation under the rule of the Tsukahara clan, a cadet-branch of the Shimazu clan. When the Warring States Period of the the Two Hundred Years' War broke out, Mizuho managed to avoid falling apart and stayed out of the conflicts of the main body of Fuso for the duration of the wars until the Age of Conquest.

The southern islands were once ruled by a separate dynasty, the Kingdom of Umi Iwa, another state of the Fourteen Kingdoms Period, and the two kingdoms were constantly engaged in a struggle for dominance, to the point of war more than once. When the Two Hundred Years' War broke out, the two sides engaged in a near perpetual state of war; but, just as the Age of Conquest began, these conflicts ended when two royals from the north and south fell in love and married, resulting not only peace, but the permanent union of the two dynasties.

When the new Empire of Yamatai secured the eastern side of Yumiya, it tried to invade Mizuho, but Mizuho put up a stiff resistance and Yamatai was repulsed. The empire was eventually forced to sign a peace treaty with Mizuho so that they could turn their attentions to the rest of Yumiya and Fuso.

During the final stages of the Age of Conquest, Yamatai again tried to assert dominance over Mizuho by conquest, but Mizuho had anticipated the return of Yamato forces and mounted a stern defense. Eventually, the costly conflict forced Yamatai to sign yet another peace treaty with Mizuho, ending the Age of Conquest period of the wars, and the Two Hundred Years' War.

The Kingdom of Mizuho has remained under the rule of the Tsukahara clan to this day. Despite permanent peace within its borders, Mizuho has remained a rival of Yamatai, and Yamatai has threatened its sovereignty more than once since the conclution of the Two Hundred Years' War.

Grand Duchy of Morgania

The Grand Duchy of Morgania is a small island nation at the entrance of the Bay of Pokitaru, occupying the island of the same name. It shares maritime borders with Lune to the north, Avalar to the south, and Potiruka to the northwest. Morgania is known for its practice in dark magic and the fact has given it a nasty reputation in the international community and magic users in general.

Morgania was originally Avalari colonized territory, founded by Morganof Hardkrak, before a civil war in Avalar forced the then tyrannical ruling family from power. The said ruling family, the House of Robinight, and their loyal followers fled Avalar to Morgania and declared an independent Grand Duchy. Since the new Avalari government was simply satisfied to have the tyrants out of the empire, they let the land go. The descendants of the House of Robinight have ruled Morgania ever since, and remains in a cold war with Avalar.

Republic of Mylar

The Republic of Mylar is a landlocked republican state in central Aquilonis. Formerly part of the Salrinoa Federation, it borders Rylar and Garsp to the east, Toralos to the southeast, Sharak to the southwest, Koelba to the west, and Obin to the north.

Emirate of Nabataea

The Emirate of Nabataea is a monarchical island nation occupying the Hamed Peninsula in southeastern Aquilonis. It borders with Hejaz to the south and Arabia to the west. It is ruled by the Al-Shamal clan of the Jayida Dynasty; said dynasty also rules Arabia and Hejaz through other clans.

The Kingdom of Ningyo Shima is an island nation occupying a quartet of volcanic islands, known as the Ningyo Archipelago, in the Oriental sea. It shares maritime borders with Yamatai to the north, and Hinomoto to the south. Given the islands' relative distance from Yamatai and close proximity to Hinomoto, there has been some debate over whether of not the archipelago is part of Fuso, but modern cartographers classify it as part of the whole.

Ningyo Shima is a suzerainty of the Empire of Yamatai, and the ruling Sho clan is in turn a vassal of the Oda clan, an offer they made themselves to prevent conquest by Yamatai, but has since enjoyed stability and prosperity under the protection of the empire.

Being a country on volcanic islands, like the majority of islands in Oriental sea, Ningyo Shima has the most fertile soil anywhere in Aquilonis, and is home to a vast network of caves many consider the most spiritual anywhere. But what makes the country most special is the coexistence between humans and merpeople, similar to Renyu Dao in Marlakcor.

Republic of Novarus

The Republic of Novarus is a republican state in northern Aquilonis. Formerly part of the Salrinoa Federation, and one of the first to secede when the Salrinoan Revolutionary Wars began, it borders Galiara to the north, Soleil to the east, Orox and Kirwon to the south, and Rossiya to the west.

Republic of Obin

Kingdom of Ongor Diruna

The Kingdom of Ongor Diruna is an independent dwarven kingdom in central Aquilonis. It occupies most of the half-volcanic half-glacial mountain range known as the Ildsno Mountains, bordering the High Elven empire of Hylar to the south, Czi'kolgyar and Rondar to the extreme east, Avalar to the north, Bestiauris to the northwest, the lizardfolk kingdom of Xzandor to the west, and the Wood Elven kingdom of Korokiri to the southwest.

The Ildsno Mountains over the pltical borders.

The Ildsno Mountains are mostly hot and volcanic on the west side, while the east side is mostly cold and snowy with glaciers. The highest peaks are Mount Vulkan (17,759ft), where the capital is situated, and Mount Isfjell (17,734ft), located toward the east the mountain range within the borders of Hylar.

Orc Empire

The Orc Empire is a landlocked polity in southern Aquilonis. It borders the lizardfolk kingdom of Xzandor to the north, Hylar to the east, Seljuk and New Albion to the south, and Talmyrnia to the west.

The Orc Empire is the only state on Qirsyllviar ruled by the violent reaving and raping race of Orcs. Ruled by the few Orcs smart enough to form their own form of government and community, their empire remains in a perpetual state of war with their neighbors, due to being unable to go a few days without shedding blood.

Republic of Orox

The Republic of Orox is a landlocked republican state in northern Aquilonis. Formerly part of the Salrinoa Federation, it borders Novarus to the north, Soleil to the east, Flarona to the south, Ortalis to the southwest, and Kirwon to the west.

Republic of Ortalis

The Republic of Ortalis is a landlocked republican state in northern Aquilonis. Formerly part of the Salrinoa Federation, it borders Orox to the northeast, Flarona to the southeast, Eudon to the south, Hovar to the southwest, and Kirwan to the west.

Empire of Persia

The Empire of Persia, is an empire of magic in southeastern Aquilonis, controlling great swaths of the Dhahabi region. It also occupies a chunk of islands off its southeastern and northeastern coasts, called the Himyar and Ormuz Islands respectively. Across the Nubian Channel, on the island of the same name, it controls the northeastern portion of the island. On the mainland, it borders Seljuk the west, Hylar to the northwest, and Arabia, Hejaz and Mecca to the north. On Nubia, it borders Kemet to the southwest. Off the southeast coast of the Ormuz Islands, it shares maritime borders with large archipelagic nation of Awal, a territory Persia has coveted for generations, but has never been able to get a foothold. Across the Nubian Channel to the south, Persia shares maritime borders with Kemet, and Canaan.

Political divisions of Persia.

Ruled by the Arsacid Dynasty, Persia is politically divided into six provinces, called satrapies (sing. satrapy), each ruled by an appointed satrap: The mainland satrapies are Sasanid (the western satrapy), Sophene (the northern satrapy), Parthia (the central satrapy, which also hosts the capital), and Safavid (the eastern satrapy), and the northeastern region Persia controls on Nubia is the Mamluk Satrapy. The Himyar Islands and the Ormuz Islands, off the northeast and southeast coast of the Safavid Satrapy respectively, make up the Himyar Satrapy and the Ormuz Satrapy respectively. Every single satrapy, except for Mamluk, was once and independent state for several centuries following the collapse of the Muqadas Caliphate, before being conquered by Persia.

As the conqueror of much of the former Caliphate, Persia considers itself the successor state to the ancient Muqadas Caliphate, a claim often disputed with Arabia.

Republic of Potiruka

The Republic of Potiruka is a republican island nation in the bay of Potiruka. Formerly part of the Salrinoa Federation, it shares maritime borders with Lirgal to the west, Velda to the southwest, and Morgania to the southeast.

Republic of Qatu

The Republic of Qatu is a landlocked republican state in central Aquilonis. Formerly part of the Salrinoa Federation, it borders Chax to the north, Lirgal to the east, Velda to the southeast, Zelhar to the south, and Salrinoa to the west.

City of Rondar

The City of Rondar, formerly called Maldrazik, is a city-state in central Aquilonis. It borders the Empire of Avalar to the northwest, Czi'kolgyar to the east and the dwarven kingdom of Ongor Diruna to the southwest. It is a city of magic run by the Order of Rondar, a Magician's Order that practices elemental magic. It was originally run by a branch of the Church of Chaos, the tyrannical Cult of Maldrazell, a cult of Dark Magic users who worship the Dark God Maldrazell, before the Order of Rondar wrested control from them and sent the church into exile.

Long ago, the Order of Rondar was responsible for maintaining peace between the magic and non-magic communities of Avalar, but when a citizen of what was then the City of Maldrazik came to them for help, they launched a campaign to liberate the city. After they seized control of the city from the cult, they installed themselves as the ruling government and renamed the city after their order.

Since attaining power over the city, it has had a history of neutrality, but will occasionally send envoys to ensure peace in the region, and is more than capable of defending itself. Even Avalar doesn't dare threaten its sovereignty.

Tsardom of Rossiya

In northwestern Aquilonis is the eastern half of the Tsardom of Rossiya, also known as the Rossiyane Empire, which occupies "arch" of Arqupeiro, the regions historically known as Zedylria, stretching into northeastern Eurodon. The Aquilonian side of Rossiya borders Novarus, Kirwon and Hovar to the east, the High Elven states of Cajar and Cyrillia to the south, and the dwarven kingdoms of Arkka Uralia, Z'ngkhar and Izokyraz to the north.

The whole of the Rossiyane Empire, stretching from northeastern Eurodon to northwestern Aquilonis.

Mostly tundra, grassland and taiga, with a several mountains, Rossiya is known for being inhospitable during winters, making travel and commerce difficult, at least to those who don't know how to traverse the wilderness. However, the Rossiyanes are quite at home in these lands, and make use of it to their advantage in times of peace or war.

Currently ruled by the Rurik-Stroganov Dynasty, unlike in Eurodon, Rossiya doesn't have much power or sway in Aquilonis, and is constantly struggling to hold on to its lands, much of which broke away into independent states in the last few centuries.

Republic of Rylar

The Republic of Rylar is a landlocked republican state in central Aquilonis. Formerly part of the Salrinoa Federation, it borders Hovar to the north, Umdar to the east, Korok to the southeast, Garsp to the south, Mylar to the west, and Obin to the northwest.

Republic of Salrinoa

The Republic of Salrinoa is a landlocked state in central Aquilonis. It borders Korok and Chax to the north, Garsp and Toralos to the west, Qatu to the east and Zelhar to the south.

The successor state of the former Solrinoa Federation since its collapse during the Salrinoan Revolutionary Wars, it was once the capital region of the former federation. Now a rump state, and a shadow of it's former splendor, it has adopted a more isolationist attitude toward the surrounding nations ever since but has tried to maintain its former way of life.

Empire of Seljuk

The Sultanate of Seljuk is a monarchical nation in southern Aquilonis, occupying lands of mostly lush greenery in the west and the western end of the Great Dhahabi Desert in the east. Near the center of the country, separating is lush west and arid east, is a vast fork-shaped canyon known as Siyah Canyon – through which the Kyah and Fyoi rivers run until the Kyah merges into the Fyoi – which also extends into the borders of Hylar. The canyon is home to the largest and most well known communities of Dark Elves anywhere on Qirsyllviar.

Siyah Canyon (in orange)

Seljuk borders Hylar to the north, the Orc Empire to the northwest, New Albion to the west, and Persia to the east. To the south it shares maritime borders with Maghreb, whom it has tried to conquer or vassalize in the past, with no success.

Seljuk was once the the dominant power in the western region of the Great Dhahabi Desert, before Persia overpowered it as a result of the Eighth Dhahabi War, forcing Seljuk give up its eastern territories. Afterwards, Seljuk instead expanded west, conquering numerous small states, eventually regaining its prestige and power. One brief time it turned back east, it managed to regain a limited amount of its lost territory east of the Siyo River.

Republic of Sharak

The Republic of Sharak is a landlocked republican state in central Aquilonis. Formerly part of the Salrinoa Federation, it borders Koelba and Mylar to the north, Toralos to the east, Dox to the south, and Bestiauris to the west.

Kingdom of Soleil

The Kingdom of Soleil is a monarchical nation on the Vieillesse Peninsula, the northeastern peninsula of Aquilonis. It borders Novarus, Orox, Flarona and Stygar to the west, and Lirgal to the southwest. Within its borders is the Gargoyle-ruled enclave, the Kingdom of Garvis, which was restored to independence during the Great Northern Aquilonis War, after being defunct for nearly two millenniums. Off the southern coast it shares maritime borders with its former colony, Lune.

The Jeune Mur Mtns. (red) and the Caillou River (indigo) relative to national borders.

Most of Soleil's western borders is taken up by a mountain rage known as the Jeune Mur Mountains, which runs south from the northernmost point of the Novari-Solelian border, before coming to an end in northwestern Lirgal. The highest point of the Jeune Mur Mountains is Mount Neige, located near the border with Novarias and Orox, which, at 29,029ft, is also the highest mountain on Qirsyllviar. This natural fortification, which is home to a number of dwarven cities and Dark Elf communities, has only three known passable routes, most notably the Jayou Pass, and has kept western invaders at bay since before the era of the Gargate Empire.

The Jeune Mur is also the source of the Caillou River, a major waterway that that separates part of southwestern Soleil from the rest of the peninsula. On the narrowest point of the river sits the city of Garvis, the capital of the gargoyle-ruled state of the same name. Because of its position, Garvis has served as a major trading center since before the era of the Gargate Empire, as all land-based trade routes in and out of southwestern Soleil go through there.

History

An unnatural creation dating back over a thousand years, Soleil was first founded by Gallian exiles following a civil war in Gallia. These exiles were initially the thousands of people that were part of the Gallian Rebel Army, along with the women and children that followed them, including their direct families, which were sentenced to wander in an "eternal void" for their insurrection. Historians debate the exact number, but it is often estimated that over a fifty-thousand people were exiled through the void; but since Gate Portals, even back then, are incapable of sending such large groups, the method used to banish the exiles is unknown and has been lost to history.

This "eternal void" actually turned out to be a portal to the peninsula the kingdom now occupies. The exiles saw this as a chance for a new start, and settled into the new land, eventually founding the Kingdom of Soleil, with the leader of the exiles and former rebels, Jean Pierre-Julien de Gascoigne, as their first king, known to history as Jean I of House Gascoigne, the first dynasty of Soleil.

At least seven other nations and kingdoms were already occupying various parts of the Vieillesse Peninsula by the time the exiles arrived. Once word of Soleil's founding reached Eurodon, and Gallia in particular, the population of Soleil, as well as the Gallic population of the Vieillesse Peninsula, received a sharp increase due to a period of mass migration to Soleil by various means; this event is termed the "Gallic Invasion" by the formerly dominant Salrins. Modern Soleilian scholars and historians don't dispute it, and so the event has been permanently recorded in history by this name. After several periods of war and peace in which Soleil steadily rose to dominance, the Kingdom of Soleil eventually emerged as the sole power, building a large and prosperous nation over many generations. Because of Soleil's origins, Soleil is often nicknamed "Kingdom of the Exiles."

Currently ruled by House Lafayette of the Honneur Dynasty, the fifth overall dynasty to rule Soleil, Soleil has long been a close friend and ally of the Empire of Yamatai, and is one half of the Copain-Tomo Alliance. This wasn't always so; four centuries after the founding of Soleil, and one century after Yamatai's Age of Conquest, Yamatai established a colony on the then-unoccupied end of the peninsula, and expansion of that colony was viewed as a threat to Soleilian expansion. After a ferocious war, which saw territorial control being pushed back and forth several times, Soleil fully expelled Yamatai from the mainland, and period of hot & cold relations ensued for at least three generations.

Relations changed drastically when Soleil and Yamatai found a common enemy in an invading extra-dimensional horde, the source of which was never determined, and fought side-by-side to see the enemy defeated. The victory resulted in feeling of unity and friendship between the western and eastern peoples, and a permanent alliance was formed. This alliance, along with the friendship and camaraderie between the two countries, has endured ever since.

Major Noble Houses

Major noble Houses of Soleil include those listed here;

House

Flag

Race

Words

Additional Notes

House Adhemar

Human

Empower the Soul

House Bannister

Human

Bow to the Dragons

House Bannister worships a pagan dragon god, who's name is lost to time, instead of the nationally worshipped Swyll'zhor

House Capdeville

Human

House Capdeville is one of three major houses that are part of the larger Honneur Dynasty.

House Girardon

Human

Members of a branch of House Giradon that is now-extinct in the male line were the previous rulers of the Soleilian throne as part of the now-defunct Sauterelle Dynasty. The current recognized House Girardon is a cadet branch of the former royal line.

House Lafayette

Human

Loyalty, Generosity, Intelligence, Virtue

House Lafayette is the current Royal House, and one of three major houses that are part of the larger Honneur Dynasty.

House Lafayette came to power and the throne through marriage, when Gaspard Henri-Ivo de Lafayette (aka Gaspard I) married Queen Narcisse Bijou-Lucie de Girardon (aka Narcisse II), the last queen of House Girardon, the previous ruling dynasty of Soleil.

There are two main branches of House Lafayette: House Lafayette of Les Bois, and House Lafayette of Roislueur. The latter, the royal branch, is a cadet branch of the former.

House Legendre

Human

Secure Your Legacy

House Molyneux

Human

The People Come First

The current House Molyneux is technically a cadet branch descended from a now-extinct line that once held Soleil's throne.

House Nakajima

Human

Anata no Rūtsu ni Chūjitsu (Faithful to Your Roots)

House Nakajima is a noble family of Hayato origin (as well as a cadet branch of the main clan in Yamatai) and so worships the Hayato gods instead of the nationally worshipped Swyll'zhor.

House Nakajima's lands lie on the eastern end of the peninsula.

House Nakajima did not particpate on any side of the GNAW or the Soleilian Civil War, as they were driven from their lands before they could muster any resistance. They're lands were restored when ordered was restored.

Qirlok Trezka is a non-sovereign dwarven kingdom within the borders of Soleil, inhabiting the Fer Croissant Mountains, the mountain range that stretches from the shores off the southwest coast of Clairiere Island to the center of Soleil in the rough shape of a half-crescent. The highest Mountain is Mount Gold-Iron (15,654ft). The boundaries of Qirlok Trezka coincide with the recognized limits of the mountain range.

In exchange for a yearly tribute, the kingdom retains its autonomy while recognizing Soleilian sovereignty over the mountains they call home.

Unlike the other five known dwarven kingdoms on Qirsyllviar, Qirlok Trezka is not independent.

Republic of Stygar

The Republic of Stygar is a republican state in central-north Aquilonis. Formerly part of the Salrinoa Federation, it borders Flarona to the north Soleil to the east, Chax to the south, Umdar to the southwest, and Eudon to the west.

The United Empire of Talmyrnia, also known as the Talmyri Empire, is a feudal quasi-federated monarchical state in western Aquilonis on the eastern shores of the Great Meadhan Sea, and is also the name for the region in which it occupies. It borders Drakyncia to the northwest, Bestiauris to the northeast, the dwarven kingdom of Ongor Diruna, the lizardfolk kingdom of Xzandor to the east, the Orc Empire to the southeast, and New Albion to the south.

Talmyrnia is an ancient multiracial and multicultural nation going back to the era of the Zedylrian Empire. The current Talmyrnia known today is the fourth incarnation of a sovereign Talmyri nation. The current empire is at least five hundred years old, so while it isn't the oldest continuous nation in Aquilonis, it's culture certainly is. Talmyrnia is filled with many races that normally wouldn't fit in elsewhere; though it is constantly at odds with both Xzandor and the Orc Empire, and inhabitants of both countries face some relatively minor discrimination in Talmyrnia.

The Twenty Kingdoms, and the Thronelands (Orskaydd), of Talmyrnia.

It is also at odds with Bestiauris regarding territory, but regardless aided the kingdom in protecting its sovereignty during the Great Northern Aquilonis War (although, the main motivation for the military intervention was to keep Umdar from setting its sights on Talmyri lands). Talmyrnia also helped New Albion win its independence from Britannia during the Albian War for Independence. Talmyrnia is also in a longstanding alliance with Drakyncia for security.

Talmyrnia is politically divided into twenty-one individual provinces in a feudal quasi-federation; The Thronelands, the capital territory under the direct control of the emperor (oftentimes known as Orskaydd after the capital) and twenty other regions designated as "kingdoms," which enjoy a great deal of autonomy from the throne.

History

The current Talmyrnia was originally thirty Talmyri kingdoms existing independently (the Thronelands had yet to be formed), occasionally fighting for land, power and hegemony or forging alliances with each other. The current empire and government was formed as a result of a period of war known known to history as the Alfrydion's War of Unification (c. 3992AFZ – 4017), which resulted all the kingdoms being united under a single banner and government for the fourth time after a one-millennium interregnum. However, as a result of further civil wars, ten of the kingdoms were partitioned or annexed and the number of kingdoms was reduced to twenty.

Politics & Governance

While each kingdom has its own king as head of one of the Great Houses of Talmyrnia, the realm is ruled as a whole from the Thronelands by the emperor. Each ruling house in each kingdom, including the Thronelands directly under the emperor, has a large number of vassal houses serving it, most of whom in turn have smaller vassals under them, extending all the way down to farmers and landed knights. Each Great House rules over its kingdom and is responsible for collecting taxes and, in times of war, raising troops to fight for the emperor. Otherwise they are largely left to operate autonomously to simplify the bureaucracy and governance of the empire.

The Twenty Kingdoms, aside for the Thronelands, are;

Kingdom

Ruling House

Additional Notes

Name

Capital

Name

Race

House Words

Kingdom of Arlok

Skylarke

House Iolaire

Human

Look to the Sky

Arlock is centered on a small group of mountains, and the castle where House Iolaire rules is at the highest elevation compared to the rest of the castles in the empire.

Kingdom of Barkyrac

Rungard

House Fluss

Human

A wide river runs through the middle of Barkyrac and acts as a natural fortification.

Kingdom of Corogdo

New Alfrydion

House Gondjir

Human

Peace in Unity

Alfrydion Kalgaric, the emepror who unified Talmyrnia, was from Corogdo; though his house, House Kalgaric, has since gone extinct in the paternal line and been replaced by House Gondjir as the kingdom's ruling house.

House Equiferi is the only ruling centaurian noble house in Talmyrnia.

Kingdom of Talgary

Firelake

'House Talgary'

Human

Fire is Life

Talgary is renowned for their beast tamers (particularly dragons).

House Hydrapyr has taken the imperial throne through war twice since the formation of the current empire.

Talgary is a traditional rival of Larristal.

Kingdom of Yornu

Snodow

House Blaidd

Human

Heroes are Born & Made

Kingdom of Zorru

Wudforn

House Tarandrus

Human

Stand Tall, Stand Strong

The current method in which the emperor is succeeded as the ruler of the nation is by election, rather than handing the imperial throne down heir to heir. When the emperor dies or abdicates, the next ruler is elected to the Imperial Throne from the current heads of the Great Houses of Talmyrnia, the kings of Talmyrnia's twenty kingdoms outside the capital territory (this is, naturally, a choice, and it's not unheard of for one or more of the monarchs to abstain from participating in the election). The emperor is elected by majority vote from the populace, but actually voting in the election is a choice. When the next elected emperor/empress accedes to the Imperial Throne, the kingship of his/her kingdom is succeeded by the next heir in line.

This method of passing power is not perfect, and disputes over the electoral results have led to civil war more than once. And since the Great Houses have many vassals beneath them, and tend to view titles as a matter of inheritance, as any feudal lord would, civil war for inheritance of titles, or right to titles, is a relatively common occurrence. There are also times when emperorship is disputed to the point of civil war, usually due to an ongoing dispute over who is the rightful head of the house and its throne. The Imperial Throne has also been passed on without election on several occasions; usually from a successful civil war against a tyrannical emperor, thus leading to the ousting of the current reigning house.

The legislature of the empire is the senate. Aside for certain "special senators" – those representing the Thronelands or other types – each kingdom sends 15 senators to represent them, bringing the number of people in the senate to well over 300.

Republic of Toralos

Republic of Umdar

The Republic of Umdar is a landlocked state in central-north Aquilonis. It borders Eudon and Stygar to the north, Chax to the east, Korok to the south, Rylar to the west and Hovar to the extreme northwest. It is the successor state to the Confederacy of Umdar, following the confederacy's defeat and dissolution at the end of the Great Northern Aquilonis War.

Republic of Velda

The Republic of Velda is a republican state in central-west Aquilonis. Formerly part of the Salrinoa Federation, it borders Lirgal to the north, Avalar to the south, Zelhar to the west, and Qatu to the northwest.

Kingdom of Xzandor

The Kingdom of Xzandor is a landlocked monarchical lizardfolk state western Aquilonis, occupying the western portion of the Great Urwaldi Forest and beyond. It borders Bestiauris to the north, the dwarven kingdom of Ongor Diruna to the northeast, Korokiri and Huzkhaz to the east, Hylar to the southeast, the Orc Empire to the south, and Talmyrnia to the west.

One of two independent lizardfolk states, the other being the more powerful and prominent Xotilic Empire, it has a long history of raiding, reaving, and pillaging of nearby lands before turning into a more docile state.

The Empire of Yamatai, also called the Yamato Empire, is a large monarchical island nation in the Oriental sea (known to the Hayato peoples as the Seibu sea), occupying most of the large archipelagic lands and islands of Fuso. It shares maritime borders with Mizuho to the southwest, and Ningyo Shima, Yamatai's suzerainty, to the south. It also holds sovereignty over swaths of territory in Marlakcor (the Kami Islands, the Suisho Islands, Samui Shima and the Morokoshi Provinces), and the Kappa Islands in Maritymir. Yamatai is also the suzerain of Ningyo Shima, whom has been a suzerainty of Yamatai since the conclusion of the Two Hundred Years' War (c. 3631AFZ – 3840/1914IIO – 2123).

Yamatai is ruled by the Idai Dynasty, control of which has passed through three sucessive clans via scions over a course of almost three thousand years, with a century-long interregnum.

The whole of the Yamato Empire at present day.

History

What became modern Yamatai was once only a small independent fiefdom, known as Owari, ruled by the daimyō (patriarch/matriarch) of the Oda clan, on the southeast shore of the northernmost of the three great islands.

Before age of Yamatai, or even the first emperor, the lands and islands of Fuso was divided between hundreds of regional daimyōs, samurai and Ōshō (Kings) competing and warring with each other for land and hegemony.

About two thousand years before the Two Hundred Years' War, out of nowhere, during what history calls Akagane Jidai (赤金時代/Copper Age), a figure known to history as Taiso no Keiken'na (太祖の敬虔な), declared himself supreme ruler of all as the first Tennō (天皇/emperor) in Fuso's history, creating what he named the Idai (偉大) Dynasty. The high priests of the time claimed him be a descendant of a god sent by his divine ancestor to unite world and hold supreme power over the lands. After several years of persuasion, and an occasional war, the various kings, samurai and daimyōs pledged alliegance one after another. From then on, Fuso was nominally ruled by the emperor. However, the power of the emperor was always questionable.

For a time, the emperor truly held supreme power over Fuso and all answered to him. But, as time went by, the power of the emperor waned until everything was as it was before Emperor Taiso. While the daimyōs, samurai and kings nominally proclaimed alliegence to the emperor, the emperors ruled only the imperial capital and the surrounding territory at best and true power over the lands remained in the hands of the daimyōs, samurai and kings, who continued to compete and war with each other for hegemony, and the emeprors were near powerless to do anything. Only a few daimyōs, samurai and kings truly ever held any loyalty to the emperors. The emperor's role in time became purely ceremonial while the daimyōs, samurai and kings did as they pleased, and it was almost like the emperor didn't exist.

By the time Fuso was divided into fourteen states in what was known as the Jushi Okoku Jidai (Fourteen Kingdoms Period) (c. 3200AFZ – 3631), these fourteen kingdoms, which were rarely ever at peace with one another, were still under nominal hegemony of the emperor. By that time – roughly 2100 years after the enthronement of the first emperor – the emperor was generally the peacekeeper of Fuso and was highly respected and revered, but in practice still held little-to-no actual power. This period ended when Emperor Hayashi no Keiken'na (the last emperor of the revered Keiken'na clan) was assassinated in an internal power struggle that was intended to restore power to the emperor. The coup backfired and most of the direct imperial family was killed in the same incident, leaving the heir to the imperial throne uncertain.

With the each fourteen kings suspecting each other of taking part in the atroscity, and the more ambitious of every major daimyō sensing and seizing opprotunity, rebellions and war ensued and most of the fourteen kingdoms collapsed entirely. And so the lands and islands of Fuso were plunged into chaos of near perpetuate war.

Thus the Fourteen Kingdoms Period ended, setting the stage for the Warring States Period (c. 3631AFZ – 3739) of the Ni Hyaku-nen Sensō (Two Hundred Years' War).

Owari was one of many states that rose to de facto independence after the collapse and breakup of great states of the Fourteen Kingdoms Period.

In the latter half of the Two Hundred Years' War, a cadet branch of the Oda (織田) clan rose to prominence under the leadership of Yoshishige Oda, a scion of the Oda and the Keiken'na clan; first uniting a divided clan and subjugating its closest enemies. Those successful actions, along with the eventual conquest of the former Kingdom of Shinrin, began the Age of Conquest (3739AFZ – 3840) and led to the founding of the Empire of Yamatai under the rule of a new line of emperors descended from the old one, thus maintaining the Idai Dynasty. This was also the first time in some millennia the emperor held any real power over the lands.

The Yoshishige and his descendants eventually conquered all its rivals and the rest of Yamatai during the Age of Conquest, through a combination of force and diplomacy, eventually becoming the sole governing authority of the empire. The sole exception to this is the Kingdom of Mizuho, the only remaining state from the Fourteen Kingdoms Period. Twice during the Age of Conquest did Yamatai tried to conquer Mizuho, and twice Mizuho repelled the invasions.

In the seven senturies since the conclusion of the Age of Conquest, rulership Yamatai since pased to a cadet branch of the larger Toyotomi (豊臣) clan.

Roughly two hundred years before present day, a cadet branch of the Toyotomi clan came to power, via a branch that was descended from Yoshishige Oda, following the assassination of the twentith Oda emperor. The first Toyotomi emperor of the Idai Dynasty was Nobunaga Toyotomi (信長豊臣), a great-grandson of a previous Oda emperor of the Idai Dynasty – Emperor Mitsuyasu (光泰) via his daughter Princess Mutsumi (六ツ美) – and a retainer of the assassinated emperor, Mitsuhide (光秀 織田). Nobunaga avenged Emperor Mistuhide in the resulting civil war, later becoming emperor when the male heirs of the previous line renounced the sovereign title in favor of Nobunaga. Thus, Nobunaga became the new emperor of Yamatai while preserving the dynasty, and the Idai Dynasty branch of the Toyotomi clan continues to rule Yamatai to this day.

Foreign Relations

Yamatai maintains diplomatic relations with many nations to the west and east. The main embassies, referred to as a Taishikan (大使館/embassy) and run by a Taishi (大使/ambassador), are located in a nation's capital and represent the empire itself, while offices in other cities, referred to as Ryōjikan (領事館/consulate) and run by a Ryōji (領事/consul), maintain relations between nationals living in those cities and the local populace.

Yamatai is also a longtime friend and ally of the Kingdom of Soleil, and is one half of the Copain-Tomo Alliance. This wasn't always so; one century after the end of the Age of Conquest, and four centuries after the founding of Soleil, Yamatai established a colony on the then-unoccupied end of the Vieillesse Peninsula, and expansion of that colony was viewed as a threat by the growing Kingdom of Soleil. After a ferocious war, which saw territorial control being pushed back and forth several times, Yamatai was expelled from the mainland, and period of hot & cold relations ensued for at least three generations.

Relations changed drastically when Soleil and Yamatai found a common enemy in an invading extra-dimensional horde, the source of which was never determined, and fought side-by-side to see the enemy defeated. The victory resulted in feeling of unity and friendship between the western and eastern peoples, and a permanent alliance was formed. This alliance, along with the friendship and camaraderie between the two countries, has endured ever since.

Armed Forces

Yamatai maintains a subtantial army and navy, making it the dominant superpower of the Oriental sea (the eastern waters of Aquilonis) with no real rivals.

The Imperial Army & Navy is run by the Shogun, the highest military rank beneath the emperor. He is responisible for all affairs of the military.

Politics & Government

The empire is a hereditary monarchy ruled by the Tennō (天皇/Emperor), and the heir apparent is titled the Kōtaishi (皇太子/Crown Prince).

The emperor's direct cabinet is the Daijō-kan (太政官/Council of State), the highest organ of the Imperial government beneath the emperor and above the Gekai.

The structure of the Daijō-kan is as follows

Position

Role

Highest Tier

Daijō-daijin

太政大臣

"Chancellor of the Realm", the head of the Daijō-kan directly beneath the emperor. First officer of the cabinet.

Sadaijin

左大臣

Minister of the Left

Udaijin

右大臣

Minister of the Right

Naidaijin

内大臣

Minister of the Center

2nd Tier

Dainagon

大納言

Major Counselor. A counselor of the first rank in the Imperial court. There are commonly three Dainagon.

Chūnagon

中納言

Middle Counselor. A counselor of the second rank in the Imperial court. There are commonly three Chūnagon.

Shōnagon

少納言

Minor Counselor. A counselor of the third rank in the Imperial court. There are commonly three Shōnagon.

Other high-ranking bureaucrats

Sangi

参議

An associate counselor in the Imperial court. This office functions as a manager of daijō-kan activities within the palace.

Geki

外記

Secretariat. These are specifically named men who act at the sole discretion of the emperor. Among the duties of the Geki include writing out the titles conferred by the emperor. In cases of dispute between high officers, the Geki draft a statement of the case for both sides. Also, they look after any newly introduced business.

The Eight Ministries

The lower half of the Daijō-kan is the Eight Ministries.

Ministries of the Left

Ministries of the Right

Overseen by the Major Controller of the Left (左大弁/Sadaiben). This administrator is charged with supervising the following four ministries:

Overseen by the Major Controller of the Right (右大弁/Udaiben). This administrator is charged with supervising the following four ministries:

Chūmu-shō

中務省

Hyōbu-shō

兵部省

Ministry of the Center

Ministry of War

This ministry encompasses those of the Imperial Household whose functions bring them closest to the emperor.

Responsible for managing wars initiated and waged by the empire and drafting war declarations at the behest of the emperor. Also works with the Treasury Ministry to manage war expenditure.

Shikibu-shō

式部省

Gyōbu-shō

刑部省

Ministry of Civil Services

Ministry of Justice

This ministry collects and maintaines biographical archives of meritorious subjects.

Appoints a series of hanji (判事/judges) to oversee trials of the state alongside the emperor, or in the event the emperor recuses himself from the trial.

Jibu-shō

治部省

Ōkura-shō

大蔵省

Ministry of Ceremonies

Ministry of the Treasury

Also known as the "Ministry of the Interior".

Responsible for managing the finances of the empire, including military and domestic spendature, as well as regulating tax income from the Ministry of Taxation.

Minbu-shō

民部省

Kunai-shō

宮内省

Ministry of Taxation

Ministry of the Imperial Household

This ministry is concerned with taxation and the general populace, police activities, and with land survey records. Registries for all towns and villages are maintained, including census records as well as birth and death records.

Responisble for managing the imperial palace. Normally headed by a senior member of the Imperial Family.

Beneath the Daijō-kan is the bureaucracy known as the Gikai (議会), the Imperial Legislature of Yamatai. This organ administrates the laws of the empire on behalf of the emperor under the supervision of the emperor and an offical called the Tairō (大老). The members of the Gikai are called Giin (議員) – singularly and plurally – and write the laws of the land, which are in turn executed by the emperor if he approves them. In the Gikai, rather than representing the clans, it is the bunkai that are represented, one Giin from each – in the early days of the empire it was seven from each, but the number was reduced as the empire expanded.

Giin are elected to the Gikai by popular vote (one of the few democratic processes of Yamatai), but the Giin representing the bunkai are normally from the same clan ruling it or from cadet-clans. Regardless, no matter how many bunkai any clan controls, the Giin representing the bunkai are required to swear an oath of impartiality before taking office. This is so that no one clan has too much influence in the Gikai, and any instance of perceived favoritism, no matter how small, is met with immediate dismissal from one's post.

The Gikai and the emperor usually work in conjunction, but the emperor is more powerful as there are very few checks and balances. There only a few things that the emperor the the Gikai must jointly agree on to become law, the main one being the ratification of treaties. The Gikai passes laws by a simple majority vote, and the Tairō will often serve as the tiebreaker in the event of one, but the emperor can also veto any laws at his leisure if he doesn't approve, and the Gikai has no power to overturn it. That said, the only thing the emperor has no power to do is make laws at his leisure. He can put forth a motion and propose a law, but the Gikai is required to vote on them for them to become law.

Political Divisions

The Bunkai of Yamatai:The shapes of the bunkai in Fuso correspond to the political situation of the Warring States Period. The Morokoshi Bunkai were shaped according to the will of the Emperors by political and strategic necessity as Yamatai expanded into Marlakcor. Many smaller islands are part of the nearest bunkai of the same color.The indigo-colored territories (the Kami Islands and Samui Shima, and the Kappa islands), are outside the normal political structure of Yamatai

The empire is loosely divided into many provinces.

As established by the first emperors of a united Yamatai during and after the Age of Conquest of the Two Hundred Years' War, the political structure of the empire is thus:

Each noble clan is headed by a daimyō (大名) pledging fealty to the emperor.

The empire is divived into twelve sectors, each called a Ryōiki (領域/Region), consiting of any number of Bunkai (分会/Demarcations) and can be spread across multiple islands.

A ryōiki is governed by Sōtoku (総督/Viceroy), which is appointed from the family of a daimyō or samurai from one of the thirteen great clans. The governence of these great clans are restricted to the ryōiki of Yamatai proper in Fuso; the sōtoku of the ryōiki of Morokoshi are appointed from different great clans.

Each individual bunkai is governed by a Shugo (守護/protector), the position of which is appointed by the emperor or by inheritance. Most of the time they are appointed from the family of the sōtoku of the ryōiki, whether from the main family of a cadet-branch. Sometimes they come from a clan that controls a different ryōiki.

Settlements of all types within the bunkai are governed by Shichō (mayor). Private lands outside of cities and towns are controlled either by a local samurai or a Yanushi (landlord), which are appointed by merit or inheritance.

The sole exception to the politcal structre of Yamatai proper is the capital, Daitoshi (大都市). Daitoshi is goverend directly by the emperor.

Morokoshi in Marlakcor are similarly divided according the structure of the main empire's political divisions, as they are a proper extension of the empire. The great clans that are appointed sōtoku of the Morokoshi Ryōiki are a relatively recent development. They have a lesser standing than the great clans in Yamatai proper in Fuso.

The Kami Islands and Samui Shima, and the Kappa islands in Maritymir, are the exceptions to the primary political structure established in the wake of the wars; each are a Kuiki (区域/zone) ruled by a Bugyō (奉行/magistrate) appointed by the emperor.

While each daimyō and all samurai still pledge fealty to the emperor, the each and the political divisions enjoy a great deal of autonomy from the emperor.

There are many clans across Yamatai with varying degrees of influence and noble ranks. Some of Yamatai's many clans, minor or major, don't actually rule any land, for one reason or another, but still retain some form of political influence; either through business dealings like trade or diplomacy, history as a political player in government, or from a history as a military family.

Rulership of the various political divisions are usually hereditary, depending on which clan controls it and how the ruling clan and/or the government chooses to handle the succession, unless a family is removed from power over a territory and replaced with another for one reason or another. And a single clan can actually have several members of their family appointed shugos, giving them control over multiple bunkai, even across the borders of a ryōiki.

The cities and towns governed by the shichō are not hereditary, even if the shichō is a the head of a minor cadet-clan that is a vassal of the daimyō. A shichō is a random noble, military officer, a landless samurai, or some other landless lord or citizen that is appointed directly by the government to rule the municipality, chosen solely by merit, and hereditary succession is not recognized in any instance unless the successor is chosen by merit alone.

The bunkai that make up a ryōiki are set up by law but actual ownership of each individual bunkai is always under dispute. It is not uncommon for a bunkai to change hands every so often for a couple of reasons: Since many clans, minor and major, are interrelated somewhere down the line, and most noble clans have one or several cadet-clans, conflict for inheritance and succession is a common occurrence throughout Yamatai. The main cause for this are succession rights crises caused by an inheritance dispute; if a minor clan that was ruling the bunkai as shugo ends without a potential heir, the emperor can hand the land to another clan to fill the vacancy, even if only temporarily, and this can lead to a minor clan being risen up to noble one.

War is another cause for a bunkai to change hands. If the previous ruling clan is removed from power over any amount of land by force, the emperor can recognize the victorious daimyō's claim to the land and appoint someone of that clan as shugo of the bunkai, making it part of the daimyō's realm, and the emperor can even side with the aggressor daimyō militarily to see the war concluded hurriedly. Otherwise, the emperor can refuse to recognize the claim or result of the war, and can command the daimyō to end the war or vacate the conquered land. If the daimyō refuses, the emperor can marshal troops against the aggressor daimyō, and even strip the offending lord of all lands and titles before giving them to someone else.

Assuming the emperor intervenes in the conflict on the side of the defending daimyō, and the war ends in favor of the defending daimyō, the emperor will often demand the aggressor daimyō to renew an oath of fealty and will exercise greater authority over the aggressor's future actions for a determined period. The emperor may also hand some or all of the aggressor's land over to another clan; another option would be to appoint a new daimyō from the many candidates of the defeated clan, usually one who stayed out of the conflict or sided with the emperor.

If the war ends in the aggressor daimyō's favor, often the emperor will often be forced to recognize the aggressor daimyō's claim to the land, but a demand for greater autonomy could also be granted; however, the latter outcome is a rarity.

Both of these issues has led to the unofficial creation of "realms" when a clan owns a great amount of land, and it is a constant fear that it could lead to a clan becoming so powerful that it threatens to topple the imperial family, or the ignition of another Warring States Period.

Regardless of what happens or how many bunkai a clan controls, the titles of sōtoku of ryōiki are legally restricted to the thirteen Great Clans.

Great Clans of the empire

Yamatai Proper

Morokoshi

Clan

Ryōiki

Bunkai

Clan

Ryōiki

Bunkai

Aizawa

逢沢

Higurashi

日暮

Oda

織田

Shimizu

清水

Shirayuki

白雪

Tachibana

橘

Takeda

武田

Tokugawa

徳川

Toyotomi

豊臣

Kingdom of Z'ngkhar

Republic of Zelhar

The Republic of Zelhar is a landlocked republican state in central Aquilonis. Formerly part of the Salrinoa federation, it borders Salrinoa and Qatu to the north, Velda to the east, Avalar to the south, Bataria to the west, and Toralos to the extreme northwest.

The Uther Islands are an archipelagic territory of Britannia, occupying the archipelago of the same name, sharing maritime borders solely with New Albion to the north. The Uther Islands were one part of New Albion before the the crowned republic split from Britannia. New Albion has coveted ownership of the archipelago since independence, but Britannia has thwarted all attempts to invade or provoke rebellion.

Capitals

The location of every country's capital (Note: Bestiauris has three, and Rossiya's is in Eurodon.)

Notes & Trivia

The demonym for people from Aquilonis is "Aquilonian".

The northwestern lands of Aquilonis is cut off because it extends into Eurodon as part of the larger continent "Arqupeiro."

Soleil was founded during the final century of the Fourteen Kingdoms Period of Yamatai, which precipitated the Two Hundred Years' War in Yamatai. Thus its foundation date is somewhere in the mid or late 3500's-AFZ; the exact date is uncertain.

The whole of Fuso without sovereign boundaries

The term "Yamatai," while the name of the empire, is also sometimes erroneously used to refer to the entire archipelago as a whole. Its proper term is its ancient name "Fuso (扶桑)": Fuso includes the main lands currently occupied by the empire; the Eda Archipelago, occupied by Mizuho; the Ningyo Archipelago, occupied by Yamatai's suzerainty the Kingdom of Ningyo Shima; and Hinomoto, the southernmost lands.

The easternmost land of Fuso is the Suisho Islands, which are cut off on the map of Aquilonis because they extend into the western waters of Marlakcor.

There has been constant debate amongst Qirsyllvian cartographers throughout history on whether of not the southernmost lands, the Ningyo Archipelago and Hinomoto, the former which is occupied by Yamatai's suzerainty, the Kingdom of Ningyo Shima, is part of Fuso, but most agree that they are.

Since the western islands of Yamatai are more "solid" while the eastern islands are more "fragment-like," some historians speculate that Fuso was once a whole continent before it broke up into smaller pieces, similar to what happened with Atlantis during the the Great Ketellaao. But whatever happened with Yamatai (if it even happened at all) happened thousands of years before that Atlantian catastrophe, likely before recorded history.